Jay-Z-Magna Carta...Holy Grail

     Hate him or love him....Jay-Z has been our generations greatest rapper period. Many of us (myself included) often scoffed at the notion that Jigga was a better lyricist then say a Nas or Eminem and got into heated debates AND arguments whenever his name was mentioned amongst the greats (2Pac...Notorious B.I.G.).  Even after the Jordan-Esque "retirement" and that flop of an album "Kingdom Come"...Jay still seemed as if he wasn't phased at all and STILL dropped American Gangster which was seen as a return to form in many circles around the world. "Blueprint 3" and "Watch The Throne" were both met with commercial and critical acclaim and yet many of us were still refusing to accept that Jay-Z was indeed great.

     During Game 5 of the NBA Finals "The Samsung Commercial" was witnessed and  I instantly knew that Magna Carta Holy Grail was going to be epic. Even if the album failed....the marketing alone would have merited a round of applause. Hell Busta Rhymes pulled the SAME move with "Year Of The Dragon" but that album was hopelessly and comically bad. Void of all expectations now, when the Samsung release date grew near I decided that I would not buy into the machine and just wait for the music..in the end that all I really cared about.

     "Holy Grail" opens with cathedral like magnificence as Justin Timberlake actually SINGS for once and to great effect I might add. The lone key and guitar riffs prove eerie as it gives the feeling of impending dread. The samples start to get louder and like a shot out of a cannon, Jay-Z erupts onto  the track with a vigor not heard since "The Black Album".  His relentless lyrical assault on this track serves as a warning to all the haters and doubters that he still "Flows like he's 22"

        Any rap music lover worth their salt knows that the second song is just as if not more important than the first track because it is sometimes indicative of how the rest of the album will sound and feel. "Picasso Baby"  answers that question with supreme authority. Timbaland and Adrian Young provide a stellar soundscape for Hov to slink and swank his way through. This is vintage Jay right here....we're all in for a treat. "Tom Ford" is another "opulent rap"  track. double and triple entendres all over this joint and Timbaland gives him one of those Year 2789 plastic cup and pencil beats that he is so famously known for...By my latest estimation Holy Grail is 3 for 3.

       "FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt" teams Jay with the most braggadocios rappers of our generation Rick Ross. The two trade off those "Aspire too" verses and it will either make you cringe at its sleeziness or make you put in your bottom rose gold teeth and turn up somewhere..A guilty pleasure song for sure.

"Oceans" featuring Frank Ocean (Pun Intended) has Jay reflect the dichotomy of Wealth and Slavery and how his success makes the higher-ups uneasy...I love it..its almost like a middle finger to those guys.

       "F.U.T.W." (Fuck Up The World) is another middle finger song that is disguised in a street banger. I honestly have never heard Timbaland produce something like this. This is something that "New Slaves" attempted to touch on but failed miserably. Six songs in and I'm completely immersed in this album and willing to go wherever it takes me. "Somewhere In America" pokes fun at high society  because while you guys are sitting somewhere with your noses in the air..your precious daughters are somewhere twerking and trying to revel in hip-hop culture.

          "Crown" is the halfway point and is showing no signs of slowing down..Even though it is a sound that is familiar in today's Hip-Hop...it doesn't sound contrived and forces the youngsters to realize that this is how this type of rap music is SUPPOSED to sound. "Heaven" rewinds the the hip-hop clock to the early/mid-90's and should please all those retro kids out there...Its so grimy and gutter in its approach that I'm surprised that I don't hear a tape hiss in the background. Expect  Joey BadA$$ and his Pro-Era bretheren to hop on this instrumental sometime soon.

          "Verses" and "Beach Is Better" are 1:01 combined...that's shameful considering the fact that they are both equally crazy and I wish that we weren't teased like this because they are so dope. You know things are real when I actually listen to Beyonce on anything... so the fact that I'm bumping "Part II (On The Run)" lets you know that this song is a winner. Ill prolly hate it later on because it BOO-loving at its finest but for now...Ill let it ride.

           "BBC" teams Timbaland AND Pharrell AND Swizz....on a production all-star game...Nas and Jay trade verses and you can tell that both are in a such a positive place...that the music seems effortless...Watch The Throne 2 should be Jay and Nas and Kanye and Timbaland...I'm just saying.

"Jay-Z Blue" shows Jay in his most vulnerable and introspective. Rappers like Nas and Em are well versed in this lane...but for Jay...its a welcome departure from his usual subject matter.

           "La Familia" and "Nickels and Dimes" close out this Magnum Opus of a album known as Magna Carter Holy Grail. The last two songs are identical to the first two songs meaning that they serve a major purpose. They allow the listener to have a finality with the album and be able to digest what they have just heard.

             In the end, the hype surrounding Magna Carta was greatly deserved. Sixteen tracks of pure Hip-Hop and its not because of who the artist is. This could have been a Mase album...but if it was executed with such precision like this then I would be saying the same thing. The ONLY problem I have is not even with the album...its with some that are in the rap community. Many of you scream about originality...lyrics...beats...and when you get it in one cohesive project you still complain. This album is proof that RAP is a driving force for our culture and generation. Who cares that the man is 43...many of you are half his age and still cant rap with such things as simple as breath control. A lot of you need to realize that when we are HIS age that we'll be able to tell our children we witnessed greatness in many forms AND that it may not ever be witnessed ever again.

 

Party Boyz 609-Respect Iz Earned 2

 

     Lou-Kang...Mayhem....and J20 are back once again with their 3rd mixtape "Respect Iz Earned 2". Their last outing "Respect Iz Earned" was my introduction to the trio and off the rip I heard the cohesion and understood what their sound was and what they were trying to achieve. I was a bit miffed by the lack of original beats the first time around...although that was my only complaint, when I was presented with the sequel, I was anxious to hear if they decided to stick to a certain formula (Industry) or if they became more comfortable with their own sound (Original).

     "Nosey" answers that question with thumping, pulsating authority courtesy of IZ-RA-EL. The menacing beat provides the perfect backdrop for the crew to take the haters, groupies and jack boys to task. This song serves a dual purpose, first to reacquaint previous listeners and second to serve as a introduction to the new-comers...excellent opener guys. 

      "The Gang" ft. Try-One keeps the same tempo and doesn't detract from the first track. The song really allows the trio to open up more and you can really hear they are more comfortable with their respective voices and as a collective they are like well greased machine. "Still At The Bottom" uses Drake's "Started From The Bottom" instrumental, normally I would skip a song like this but I can't even be mad at it. The actually make they the song their own and in the end that's all the listener can really ask for.

      "Go Get It" ft.  Papi Storz and Iz-Ra-El returns the crew back to the original production (awesome). Every one here shows up and trades verses seamlessly on the 2013 version of the boom-bap. "Top In Tha Whip" is self-explanatory... meaning that if you have Baby-ears, I wouldn't recommend this song to you as it gets pretty raunchy at times. Then again Baby-eared people shouldn't be listening to rap any way but I digress.

      "Boyz N The Hood"  is another industry track but I must admit I have always loved The Easy-E version so this version comes at a pleasant surprise. And again the Boyz surprise me with their ability to take a song and turn it into a entirely new(original) song...Kudos. "Tip Her" is another song not for the Baby-Ears. To me it seems like "Raunchy Ratchet" is the Party Boy lane and I absolutely have no problem with that. This song screams "BET UNCUT" and trust me this song would fit in perfectly with that line-up. Mayhem did his name justice with his opening verse. He went absolutely H*A*M and gave the Lou and J2O the proper energy to keep the song riding.

     "Really Really" has to be played loud...no exceptions....the beat is chopped something serious and puts them into their pocket...You Like up-tempo?...Party Boyz is who you would want to hear. I'm gonna go on record and say that "We Came To Party" has to be my FAVORITE  IZ-RA-EL track that I've heard thus far. The menacing track really allows the Boyz to get OPEN. Everything works on this song..The Hook....Ad-libs...Doubles...Accents...everything. I'm gonna personally request that this be their next single.

    "R.I.E 2"  goes to the Bay-Area (San-Fran..Oakland What Up Tho!)  Don't worry West Coasters...This song is genuine in its approach and does not set to make-fun of the Hyphy sound in any way...Mac Dre, E-40- And Too-Short would all be proud. "Turn Up" borrows G-Unit's "I Like The Way She Do It". The funny part is that it actually sounds like a original song...the beat fits the group's sound and style perfectly as if Iz-Ra-El or Jay-Gee produced it. You'll understand what I mean when you hear "Track Manipulation". If  Respect Iz Earned 2 taught me anything...Is that they were able to clearly carve out THEIR sound and separate themselves from the pack.

     "Beat It Remix" closes out the mixtape and to me anyway sounds as if this could lead into what the future may hold for Party Boyz. The songs sounds like the listener just walked into the studio and overheard what Lou-Kang was working on. Is it a possible solo effort? or will they all have solo songs on the next project so they can showcase each of their voices to the fans? Either way its something to look foward to.

      In the end this mixtape is a win for the trio and all that was involved with the making of this project. Everything sound updated and will be sure to gain some new ears as well as keep those in the know satisfied. There was a even mix of original songs and industry jack moves, but they were sequenced properly so every thing flows ever so nicely. My only problem with the mixtape is the title. It actually kinda pissed me off a little...It should not be known simply as Respect Iz Earned 2...It should be Respect Iz Earned 2.0 because this project was definitley an Upgrade...Well done guys...You've Earned It.

Wale-The Gifted

     Since 2008 (2007 if you're a staunch purist) Wale has been trying to gain national exposure, become The DMV's greatest export AND be number 1 on EVERYONE'S Top 5 list. Considering the current climate of today's Rap...one would have to know that many of us suffer from "Attention Deficit" in some form so it be would be really hard for some of us to recognize his "Ambition". Even after he gave himself with "Folarin".... Would the entire Hip-Hop community be able to accept "The Gifted"?
       The Gifted opens up with the serviceable "The Curse Of The Gifted". Here he proceeds to lament on the price of fame and how his gift will help propel him and his people above it all. After I was done yawning...I was able to hear the musicality behind it and I was pleased with the lush sounds.  I went to the liner notes and I noticed that Stokley Williams was heavily involved. For the uninformed..Stokley Williams is the lead singer and percussionist of the sorely underrated and understated band Mint Condition (Youngins please look them up, they're dope trust me). Any who, realizing that he was involved in some capacity made me optimistic if for nothing else..the Production(Live Instrumentation) would be stellar.
     "Sunshine" continues the Stokley collaboration to great effect....I would have been totally satisfied with just that beat, hook and the rising crescendo ad libs from Williams himself. Wale does his best to make the song his own but I personally just wish he wasn't on it. "Heaven's Afternoon" gives me the same feeling...Meek Mill surprisingly steals the show with his guest verse and with Williams' background riffs, bridges, and beat...completely drowns out Wale...again. A quarter through the album and I've already conceded the fact that this is a Stokley Williams and Friends experimental side project.
      "Golden Salvation"  never really goes anywhere. The whole Jesus(Religious) dichotomy concept is being sorely overused right now. Let me be clear...EVERYONE is entitled to his/her belief and his totally allowed to express it in their music, BUT you don't have make it sound so forced and contrived. "Vanity" is the direct opposite of the the first 5 songs. Whereas those songs sounded organic and lively, this song its lifeless and hollow and industrial in scope, but I supposed that was the whole point considering the title.
     It seems that Wale realizes that misstep and immediately enlist Cee-Lo and Williams once again to tell us that we're all "Gullible"....Cool song..but it would have been an AWESOME Cee-Lo/Stokley/Dap Kings collabo. "Bricks" is another song that could have gone somewhere but fails to do so...A deliberate attempt at radio and 106 and Park. To make matters worse "Clappers" is an EVEN MORE deliberate 106 and Park and the club. I doubt the target audience will notice the interpolation of the song being that it was "DA BUTT" get it?...Do The Right Thing...Spike Lee...DC..GO-GO...nevermind.
     The next grouping of songs are the Mmmmmmmaybach Music portion of the set. Take it with a grain of salt people, Wale is signed to Rozay, did you really think he would have ANY input on the record or at the very least show up on a record or two? Ne-Yo has a forgettable cameo on "Tired of Dreaming" and sadly that is the highlight of the song Tisk...Tisk....Tisk. At the risk of sounding repetitive, both Ne-Yo and Ross outshine Wale and he sounds like he's featured on his own song.
          Wale closes out the album with Stokley Williams and Seinfeld on "Black Heroes" and the "Outro About Nothing" respectively. I think Jerry Seinfeld sums up the album perfectly. He goes on to blast Wale about what album this is. Saying things like "I thought We Were Doing The Album today" "Who is in charge of  this?" "Ok I guess I'll come back when you're ready". Couldn't have said it better myself  Jerry.
       In the end this is not The Album About Nothing...this is the tale of 3 albums in one. The first 5 songs are great material from Stokley and Friends...The next 5 are the Maybach Sessions, and the last 5 are used to round out the rest of the project to make it somewhat respectable. For the die hard Wale fans out there, this album will satisfy you immensely. The casual listener will love the singles. As for me...I take the first five tracks and combine them with the Folarin mixtape(minus Bad) and that will be my Wale experience for the rest of 2013.